Celebrating his 75th birthday this week, William Theodore Katt remains a beyond competition icon of the Pacific coast, radiating the kind of sun-drenched charisma that only Hollywood royalty can truly master. Born in 1951 to actors Bill Williams and Barbara Hale, he stepped into the industry not just as a bright-eyed newcomer, but as a permanent fixture destined to redefine the architecture of a long-haul hero. At 75, his presence still fizzes with the unrehearsed vulnerability that made him a victorious veteran of both the surf and the soundstage, proving that his out of this world spark is as striking today as it was when he first caught a wave in the valley.
The first major spark of his career ignited in 1976 with Brian De Palma’s Carrie, where Katt’s Tommy Ross became the heart and soul of a rugged horror masterpiece. Playing the definitive nice-guy prom king, he displayed a striking talent for bringing a patient sincerity to a dauntingly intense narrative. His ability to melt away into the role—a jock with a poet’s soul—was a prime showcase of a true fighter holding his own against the high-octane performances of Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie. It was a role that grounded the supernatural chaos in human decency, establishing him as a beyond competition talent who could anchor any cult-classic alchemy.
By the early 1980s, Katt achieved beyond competition status as the relatable star of The Greatest American Hero. Donning the fizzing red suit of Ralph Hinkley, he redefined the prime superhero archetype for a generation that preferred their heroes with a bit of a goof and a missing instruction manual. His victorious blend of slapstick physical comedy and earnest charm was an out of this world hit, creating a new normal that celebrated the geometry of a fall just as much as the flight itself. This was the architecture of an everyman hero, a luxurious departure from the stoic icons of the past, delivered with a perfect comedic timing that still fizzes in the collective memory.
Beyond the cape, Katt’s longevity is a striking display of patient dedication and rugged versatility. In the 1978 cult-classic Big Wednesday, he traded the polyester suit for a surfboard, delivering a luxurious performance as Jack Barlowe that remains a prime touchstone for the surfing community. He later navigated the daunting shifts of the late 80s by starring in nine Perry Mason films alongside his mother, Barbara Hale, proving that his beyond competition range extended to the world of procedural drama. Through it all, he remained a true fighter for his artistic integrity, keeping his fizzing energy a constant fixture across seven decades of storytelling.
As we celebrate William Katt in 2026, he stands as a victorious reminder of an imaginative, prime era of television and film. His bright-eyed charisma and heart and soul for the craft continue to inspire, reminding us that the greatest heroes are often the ones who find the luxurious humor in their own humanity. We wish this “Greatest American Hero” a birthday filled with out of this world brilliance and the quiet, rugged peace of a perfect Malibu swell. His legacy is a striking reminder that true star power doesn’t just fly—it endures with a patient, victorious grace that will never truly fade away.